036/365 I'm not bitter

036/365 I'm not bitter, originally uploaded by Venn Diagram.

Bit of a hiatus with the blog, I've been busy with other things - two houses to renovate, one to sell, work, life and I started a 365 on 1st January 2010. So far I'm 36 shots in, and enjoying it.

Some nights I come home with an idea of what to do, and enjoy putting it together, other nights (like last night, and this shot), it's a bit last minute as I trawl around for things to shoot.

Here, I had a glass of home brewed beer, a softbox and a lack of inspiration - put them tother and they equal an OK shot - not one I'd shout about, but a decent shot from where I'm sitting.

Exciting times...

Picked up a reflector holder today, waiting on a strobe mount for an 'S' type fitting coming in the post, plus a 100cm soft box. Excited? You bet.

Lying, thieving MPs...

Lying, thieving MPs..., originally uploaded by Venn Diagram.

An interesting shot this - I took it for a laugh to play with some Lego I'd bought and subsequently donated to my smashing nephew.

It's done a bit of business, maybe as many as a hundred views since I took it in May 2009. However, yesterday it was spotted by something called Yahoo Pipes and it's had around 250 views in two days.

I've looked at the Pipes page, but to be honest I don't think I understand it so far. However, for some reason it's got ahold of my shot, and lots of people are seeing it. Rock on!

Advice III

Advice III, originally uploaded by Venn Diagram.

More sage advice from the world of FPS games - always be prepared (or is that the Boy Scouts, I can't remember)...

Strobist: One 430EXII centre top, with a red gel and Honl 1/8" grid, one 430EXII camera right with a 1/4" grid - fired by a 580EX on-camera, with the ratio in favour of the red light...

NOTE: Wasn't sure about this shot, with the two soldiers at the front being slightly out of focus - took a few shots at different focal lengths, but thought this one worked best...

Advice II

Advice II, originally uploaded by Venn Diagram.

More fun with Stikfas figures, inspired by playing FPS computer games.

Strobist: One 430EXII to camera left with a 1/8" grid, one 430EXII top right, with a red gel through a pass-through brolly. Both fired via a 580EX on-camera, ratio set 4:1 in favour of the red light to the right.

Advice I

Advice I, originally uploaded by Venn Diagram.

I enjoy a good computer game, and play FPS for preference. If there's one thing I've learned, it's that a bit of tactics will get you a long way, like having a squint around a corner before running out like a twonk.

These are some Stikfas soldiers that I picked up in a sale a few years back, finally cranked them out of the boxes today.

Thought I'd go for a cartoon-style triptych for this shot to try and capture the different angles.

STROBIST: One 430EXII to each side of the box, one with a 1/2CTO gel, the other a straight red. Fired on a 2:1 ratio in favour of the red, using a 580EX on-camera as controller. My wife laughed A LOT as I was setting this up and taking the shots on the living room floor...

Man does not live by bread alone...

Man does not live by bread alone..., originally uploaded by Venn Diagram.

I haven't been out taking many pictures recently - partly because I've been ultra-busy with work and buying (and renovating) a new house, but also because I've been trying my hand at brewing beer.

The picture is a pint from my first batch of home brew - it's Woodforde Wherry, which came as part of a kit of fermenting bin, barrel, bits and bobs and a beer kit. Very nice too, and in all honesty I've been drinking it earlier than strictly advised, since my birthday on the 5th August last week.

A nice pint, and not at all unlike something I'd expect to get in a pub, if not quite so alcoholic. I didn't measure the specific gravity of the beer at the start, so I can't say how strong (or not) it is, but it tastes nice, so what's to worry about? Also got #2, a stout in a barrel at the moment an #3, a Scottish Heavy sitting fermenting away (bloop, bloop, bloop). Popped into the brewing shop today (5 minutes from the new house) and Jacqueline picked out a ginger beer kit - a hobby we can share!

Strobist: A 430EXII to rear left and right as "B", 580EX on a wire above the beer as "A", ratio was 1:2 / A:B. Flash Exposure Compensation set as +2/3.